certified used car

When you buy a "certified used car" you are being guaranteed by the dealership that the car you are about to purchase has already been thoroughly inspected by a mechanic and that any mechanical problems the car had, have been repaired.

Historical perspective: Certified used car programs began showing up in the mid-1990s as more vehicles were returned by customers leasing their vehicles; online car dealerships exploded on the Internet in the mid-2000's.